BILL NUMBER: SB 576 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 31, 2000
AMENDED IN SENATE JANUARY 27, 2000
AMENDED IN SENATE JANUARY 19, 2000
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 22, 1999
INTRODUCED BY Senator McPherson
(Principal coauthor: Senator Vasconcellos)
FEBRUARY 23, 1999
An act relating to higher education, and making an appropriation
therefor.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 576, as amended, McPherson. California Postsecondary Education
Commission: strategic action plan for language development,
teaching, and learning.
Existing law establishes the California Postsecondary Education
Commission, which is required to prepare a state plan for
postsecondary education.
This bill would appropriate for expenditure, without regard to
fiscal year, $90,000 from the General Fund to the commission. The
sum would be available for expenditure for the purpose of preparing
and submitting to the Governor, certain Members of the Legislature,
and prescribed state officials, a long-term, self-sustaining
strategic action plan for language development, teaching, and
learning. The bill would also require the commission to enter into a
contract with the Center for Intensive Language and Culture, if
specified events occur.
Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(1) California is a growing state whose population is becoming
ever more diverse, especially with respect to race, nationality,
national origin, and language.
(2) This diversity is a strength that can be capitalized upon by
the state, with respect to both the enrichment of our culture and our
capacity to engage profitably in foreign trade, especially
with the various nations and economies of Asia and Latin America.
foreign trade and the global economy.
(3) Our need for advanced language instruction is now greater than
ever because:
(A) One in three California residents report speaking a
primary language other than English in the home.
(B) Residents of our state speak more languages and represent more
cultures than the residents of any other state in our nation.
(4) The capacity of our state and people to be so enriched and
prosperous is largely dependent upon the development of the capacity
of our people to become fluent in the various respective languages of
other nations, especially in those languages of Asia and
Latin America. nations and cultures.
(5) California is home to the language capitol of the world in the
Monterey Bay region, which has utilized our state's diversity in
uncommon and valuable ways to create jobs for more than 3,000 people,
and to provide learning opportunities for thousands more. At least
30 languages are now being taught in the tri-county region, and there
is the potential to quadruple that number. Such an effort
could especially provide for enhanced instruction in the field of
"less commonly taught languages."
(6) The development of a strategic action plan for the coordinated
enlistment of all those schools, universities, institutions, and
organizations in preparing California's diverse population to become
language-proficient for global commerce and social benefit
would serve the best interests of the State of California
and our people, with respect to both our society and our economy.
.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to help prepare the people
of California for the increased use of, and demand for, instruction
and training in underutilized, underrepresented, and globally
"strategic" languages by commissioning the development of a strategic
action plan for maximizing California's capacity to develop and
utilize the language teaching, learning, and use needs of the people
of California. This effort could especially provide for
enhanced instruction in the field of "less commonly taught languages."
SEC. 2. (a) The California Postsecondary Education Commission
shall prepare a long-term, self-sustaining California strategic
action plan for language development, teaching, and learning.
(b) The commission , shall conduct and
coordinate this effort by bringing together into a
coordinated effort a representative advisory group
reflecting the myriad of public and private, local, state, and
federal postsecondary universities, institutions, and organizations
in California that specialize in language learning.
(c) (1) On or before January 1, 2002, the commission shall prepare
a language learning strategic action plan in accordance with this
section, and submit it for consideration to the Governor and to the
Members of the Legislature and the other persons specified in
paragraph (2).
(2) Copies of the plan prepared under this section shall be
submitted to all of the following:
(A) The leaders of the political parties of both houses of the
Legislature.
(B) The chairs of the education, higher education, and local
government policy committees of both houses of the Legislature.
(C) The Secretary of Education, the President of the
University of California, the Chancellor of the California State
University, and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.
(d) This plan shall consist of a two-part study conducted by the
commission pertaining to higher education
postsecondary foreign language programs statewide as follows:
(1) Part I shall consist of the study and evaluation of existing
programs to focus specifically on, but not necessarily limited to,
the following areas:
(A) An evaluation of the statewide need and demand for foreign
language programs and estimation of likely demand patterns for those
programs in the future.
(B) A detailed inventory, market analysis, and needs assessment
pertaining to foreign language programs statewide.
(A) An inventory of existing programs statewide.
(B) A market analysis and demand pattern, if any, pertaining to
foreign language programs statewide, including underutilized,
underrepresented, and strategic languages.
(C) The identification of the potential for inter-institution
collaboration and sharing of resources including public-private
partnerships.
(D) The potential for technology enhanced instruction and distance
education.
(E) A study and evaluation of programs that currently exist
statewide, including location, breadth of services provided, and
infrastructure.
(F) A study of underutilized, underrepresented, and "strategic"
languages.
(2) Part II shall consist of statewide findings and
recommendations as follows:
(A) The conclusions and policy recommendations with
respect to future language learning needs pertinent to economic
development, international commerce, and cultural development.
(B) An evaluation of California's existing foreign language
resources and with specific , with specific
policy or technical recommendations concerning how they may be
better utilized by the state.
(C) Any conclusions regarding trends in language use and demand
patterns in California.
(D) Any suggestions recommendations
for possible methods of future collaboration in the field of language
instruction and training between among
public and private schools, universities, institutions, and
organizations that specialize in language learning.
SEC. 3. (a) The sum of ninety thousand dollars ($90,000) is hereby
appropriated for expenditure, without regard to fiscal year, from
the General Fund to the California Postsecondary Education Commission
for purposes of funding the strategic action plan required by
Section 2 of this act.
(b) No funds appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a) may be
encumbered unless and until the executive director of the commission
certifies both of the following to the Controller:
(1) Private sector contributions of at least fifty thousand
dollars ($50,000) have been received, on or before January 1, 2001,
by the commission on behalf of the Center for Intensive Language and
Culture, located in the City of Monterey, for purposes that the
executive director of the commission deems to be compatible with the
purposes of this act.
(2) The executive director of the commission has determined that
there is sufficient continuing contact between the commission and the
center to ensure the implementation of this act.
(c) Upon Notwithstanding any other
provision of law:
(1) Upon receipt by the commission of at least twenty
thousand dollars ($20,000) in private sector contributions of the
fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) described in paragraph (1) of
subdivision (b), the commission may use that twenty thousand dollars
($20,000) to contract with the center for work related to the
preparation of the strategic action plan.
(d)
(2) The executive director shall contract with the center
for a total contract amount of at least fifty thousand dollars
($50,000) of the private sector funds.
(e)
(3) Nothing in this section precludes the executive director
from entering into additional contracts with the center for work
related to the preparation of the action plan using the public funds
appropriated by subdivision (a).